Never Goodbye
by Chromatic Wasp
Summary: After being warned of his impending death by a young woman named Morgana, the Eleventh Doctor winds up at the River of Time, sending him to an alternate timeline: one that will give him a chance to save everyone he's ever known and loved.


Chapter One

They sat there.

In the quiet and stillness of space, they sat there. Neither of them had anything to say.  
Especially not the Doctor.  
Clara sighed.  
"Are you still thinking about what the Oracle told you?" She wondered.  
"She has a name, remember." The Doctor said, seeming vacant and blank.  
"Right...Morgana. What did she tell you? I couldn't hear. Bit busy fighting back the angry mob that had formed at the door."  
"It's not important."  
"Oh, not important?" She raised an eyebrow. "I know what that means. That means it's very, very important but you won't tell me. Why?"  
"It's none of your business."  
"I'm not buying it."  
"Just shove it."  
She scoffed. "Well, there's no need to be rude!"  
Then, it want back to quiet.  
"If you don't want to tell me? Fine." Clara said. She looked up at him. "Doctor?"  
No reply.  
"Doctor?" She repeated.  
He just stared off into space.  
"You'd at least have the courtesy to speak to me!"  
He continued to space out.  
"Fine. I have ways of making you talk." She stormed over to the TARDIS control panel. The Doctor stared at her from behind.  
Clara began to push buttons, flip switches, pull levers, and twist dials with reckless abandon.  
The Doctor jumped to his feet.  
"Hey! What are you doing?"  
"Aha!" Clara said, smiling. "Gotcha talking."  
"Stop that! Stop touching things!"  
"Oh, please. I've seen you fly this thing all the time. Watch."  
She dug her finger firmly into a green button.  
"There, see? Nothing bad happened."  
Suddenly, there was a loud fizzling roar in the engine. Sparks flew in all direction. The control room shook violently, as if in the midst of an earthquake.  
Clara lost her footing, slipping to the ground.  
The Doctor grabbed onto a rail, trying to support himself.  
"I told you to stop touching things!" The Doctor yelled.  
"I'm sorry, I-AHHH!" Clara was cutoff when the TARDIS went on a slant. Suddenly, she found herself sliding and tumbling across the floor. She slammed into the doors, which opened on impact.  
"Clara!" The Doctor cried.  
She was gone. Just like that.  
The doors slammed shut of their own will as the TARDIS slowly returned to an upright position.  
The Doctor stared emptily at the doors.  
Gone. She was really gone, wasn't she?  
"Clara, please don't do this." The Doctor said. "Don't leave me. Not now, not when I need you. I didn't even get to say goodbye." Tears welled up in his eyes.  
He remembered Morgana's words.

_"I have seen your future, too, Doctor. Before I go, I need to warn you." She said weakly, staring up into his eyes as the life drained from her. "Your demise is not far off...It's coming soon, Doctor. Very soon, and I'm afraid you can't do anything to stop it. I know you'll still try, though." She smiled. "I see us meeting again someday. Someday very soon, you will see me again. A day lost in the flow of Time itself, but it will come all the same. Goodbye, Doctor..." She_ _trailed_ _off weakly as her eyes shut. "Goodbye."_

He had lost Morgana. And now, had he lost Clara? No. No, it couldn't be true.  
The Doctor heard a knock at the door. He ran to answer it. He pushed the left one open, and looked out into the emptiness of time and space. He leaned out of the TARDIS door, and turned his head to the right.  
And there was Clara, clinging for dear life to the door handle.  
"Hello, Doctor. May I come in?"  
He smiled, took her hand, and pulled her in. He shut the door behind her.  
He whirled her around by the shoulders to face him. He looked at her with a very grave expression on his face.  
"Don't. You. Ever. Scare me like that again." He scolded her.  
She wrapped her arms around him. A warm, consoling, friendly hug. He smiled back, his face full of gentle brightness and warmth, and returned the gesture.


End file.
